Creating GIF Maker on Mac – Step By Step Guide To Create Killer GIF

Guide To Create Killer GIF

Animated GIF files have gained rapid popularity off late as people are slowly opening up to the idea of moving images each having a story to tell.You can compare it with the dynamic picture frames of Hogwarts wherein the objects were in constant motion. Graphics Interchange Format or GIF was invented in 1987 prior to the dawn of the web.It was scheduled to be replaced by PNG format which came along in 1996 coupled with its enhanced compression and transparency.However, GIF won over Portable Network Graphics when it came to the department of stellar animation.Multiple animation frames are stored by GIF s which can be set to loop ad infinitum without the requirement of any video player or plugin.

Pioneered by Compuserve during the Mesozoic Era, GIFs were mostly cartoonish previously consisting of rotating logos and dancing stick figures. These overused animations started to become boring as the ancient abacuses could not handle the heavy lifting requirement of high-resolution graphics.But rapid innovation in technology has caused GIF movies to suddenly roar back into prominence as modern day computers are juggling with multiple frames-per second and large files.This has added to the rapid hike in demand for GIF files especially in social media.

Although Facebook has banned it presently given its propensity of adding to the clutter of user news feed thus distracting them from concerns of higher importance, there’s no denying the fact that GIFs are here to stay.

Creating GIF Movies

Countless methods can be applied for GIF creation with more being added to the queue on a daily basis. There are an ample number of free websites which take a normal video and upload the same on a website for being converted into a GIF.

However, in most cases, these free platforms suffer from a major handicap in terms of restriction in frame rate, file size and clip duration.

These restrictions can also be overcome by purchasing a premium version of the service.

Certain applications also help with GIF generation from the video although most of them require a ‘sign in’ via social network and the final result also needs to be shared via the vendor’s network.

LiceCap

Owned by Cockos Incorporated, LiceCap is a wonderful GPL licensed program which operates both over Windows and Mac platforms completely free of charge. The adjustable frame of LiceCap aids in placing the content exactly where we wish to record.

Guide

The frame can also be manually adjusted by utilising the mouse cursor. Alternatively, you can also type in an exact size or adjust the maximum frames per second although you need to keep in mind that the file size increases simultaneously with a hike in FPS.

Now, we will take a look at the steps which need to be followed for creation of GIFs in your Mac device using LiceCap

LiceCap

Download the LiceCap software and install the same on your Mac. Next you need to open it and place the screen capture window over the screen portion which you wish to record in your GIF.

On hitting the record button present in the lower corner of the window, you will be prompted to provide a file name and select its destination. You can also manipulate the recording using the configuration settings and specify whether you wish your recording to keep a tab on mouse clicks.

Recording can be paused in LiceCap by clicking on the Control + Alt + P button.

You might have to start all over again if you make any mistake since LiceCap does not have any editor for managing frames. The lack of frame editor might not pose as a big problem given the short nature of animated GIFs.

Once the configuration process is complete, you will have to click the save button following which a three second countdown begins. The movement recording begins within the frame once the countdown reaches zero. You can see the frame size, FPS amount and timestamp on the bottom left section of LiceCap’s recording window.

After the recording is completed, you can upload the GIF file on your WordPress media library. You need to insert the GIF in a post by opting for its fullest size since animated GIFs cannot be scaled like that of JPG files.

The recording needs to be kept as small and compact as possible for best results. You can resize the recording windows for unleashing its utmost potential.

Animation effects pertaining to page browsing and scrolling should also be kept to the bare minimum level.

Prior to choosing one, you should juggle with the recording options until you stumble upon one which maximises the effect of your GIF while reducing the file size at the same time.

Although animated GIFs are best suited for comedy requirements, they also serve as excellent yet easy tutorials for you to follow.